Soneva Fushi’s Chef Derrick Walles brings Maldives flavours to Mumbai

Soneva has announced plans to host a weekend-long gastronomical journey, crafted by Chef Derrick Walles of Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, at Magazine Street Kitchen in Mumbai.

Chef Derrick’s eight-course menu at Magazine Street Kitchen on May 10 and May 11 will feature his signature Modern European style, complete with an Asian twist. Non-vegetarian diners will begin their meal with an amuse bouche of Slow-Cooked Salmon with Lemon Peach; followed by Spanner Crab, wild-caught spanner crab with mango and chives, avocado mousse, yuzu mascarpone and rice crisp. A course of Maldivian Tuna will follow, in sashimi-style, with marinated sushi rice and roasted garlic dressing. Diners will then enjoy Foie Gras, sustainable foie gras with brioche crumble, apricot marmalade, and vanilla beurre blanc.

A course of Corn-Fed Chicken, tandoori chicken consommé with butter chicken tortellini, will be followed by Summer Truffle, truffle tagliatelle pasta. Saltbush Lamb, loin of lamb with muhammara, garlic, goat cheese and red wine jus will round out the savoury courses, and the Dessert course will feature Sweet Corn Panna Cotta with caramelised popcorn and coco cookie crumble.

Vegetarians will enjoy an amuse bouche of Vegetable Croquette with Cauliflower Puree; followed by Broken Beet Salad, heirloom beetroot, cashew yogurt, figs, and orange with apple balsamic. Diners will then be offered Jerusalem Artichoke, truffle-scented artichoke puree, bake, and pickles with artichoke crisp; Peru Asparagus, with parmesan emulsion; and Vanilla and Parsnip, vanilla-infused parsnip soup with confit tomato and caramelised parsnip. After a course of Pumpkin Two Way, confit pumpkin, pumpkin ragout, wild mushroom and roquette; guests will round out the meal with the Dessert course, which will feature Sweetcorn Panna Cotta with caramelised popcorn and coco cookie crumble.

In 1995, the award-winning luxury resort Soneva Fushi set the standard for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways in the Maldives. Located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Soneva Fushi pairs Robinson Crusoe fantasy with intelligent luxury.

Sixty-two private villas with their own stretch of beach are hidden among dense foliage within touching distance of a pristine coral reef. Intuitive service is provided by Mr./Ms. Friday butlers.

Highlights include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, counting Saturn’s rings in the high-tech Observatory, the home-made chocolate and ice cream rooms, five hundred wines to choose from, six different restaurants and countless destination dining options. In November 2015, Soneva launched a floating villa concept, Soneva in Aqua, a treasure trove children’s Den and a multi-purpose facility encompasses a glass gallery, boutique and studio where guests can learn the art of glass blowing.

If the experiences are magical, the philosophy is simple: No news, no shoes. No pretensions either.

Opened in December 2016, Soneva Jani is Soneva’s newest property and the world-leading luxury hotel group’s second resort in the Maldives.

Soneva Jani is located on the island of Medhufaru within a 5.6 kilometre lagoon in the Noonu atoll, and has uninterrupted ocean views in all directions. The lagoon is 35 minutes by seaplane from Velana International Airport and one hour by speedboat from Soneva Fushi.

Meaning ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani currently comprises 24 overwater villas and one island villa, with additional villas to be built in phase two. Five islands encircle the lagoon, each one with soft white sands and covered in rich tropical vegetation. Four of the five islands will remain untouched, making Soneva Jani the lowest density development in the Maldives. The overwater villas are spaced across the expansive lagoon, offering privacy and extensive views over the Maldives’ turquoise waters. The island villas will be tucked into the lush greenery, providing the ultimate privacy, and all within steps of the beach.

Soneva Jani’s main guest facilities are located at The Gathering, the heart of the overwater villas. This dramatic three story structure is home to the main dining outlets, in addition to the Soneva Spa, library, retail area and wine cellar. It is located next to the Maldives’ first overwater Observatory.

Facilities on the island include the overwater Cinema Paradiso, the Eco Centro Waste-to-Wealth centre, organic gardens, tennis courts, water sports champa and Zuhair’s Beach on a desert island in the lagoon.

The dinner is priced between ₹3000 (USD 43) – ₹4000 (USD 58) plus taxes per head and can be booked on: https://insider.in/chef-derrick-walles-x-magazine-st-kitchen-10-11-may2019/event